I won my eviction lawsuit. Now what?

In order to win an eviction case, you need to convince a judge that the occupant of the property no longer has the right to be there, either because of non-payment of rent or violation of other lease terms.  Once you prove to the court that a proper pre-lawsuit notice was served and the tenant still did not leave, you will get an order telling the tenant to vacate.  If the tenant still does not leave, you must hire the county sheriff to enforce the court order.

Many tenants will leave the property prior to the sheriff’s arrival.  If they do not, the sheriff will appear at the designated time and speak with the tenant and landlord to determine if the tenant is in the process of moving.  If they are not, the landlord is required to have movers present to place the tenant’s belongings on the curb.  Also, the landlord is required to change the locks on the property while the sheriff is present.  The sheriff will stay at the property as long as necessary to make sure there are no incidents between the tenant and the landlord.

In many cases, a landlord who prevails in an eviction case will also get a judgment against the tenant for unpaid rent, court costs and in some cases attorney fees.  Money judgments against tenants are often uncollectable because the tenant is transient and/or does not have money available to pay what is owed.  You may need a collection attorney of assist you with post judgment proceedings such as garnishments and levys.

If you need assistance with an eviction in Lake County, Illinois, feel free to contact us at (847) 599-9101.